Double Dare
Double Dare was the first Nickelodeon game show that was taped from 1986 to 1988 and aired until 1991. It was aired on Nickelodeon its whole run and additionally in syndication for its third season in 1988. Show Format Double Dare's format combines trivia questions with occasionally messy stunts. Each episode begins with Summers saying "on your mark, get set... GO!" to start a tossup challenge, with the first team to accomplish the stunt winning US$20 and control of the first round. They would then be asked a question worth $10. If they chose not to answer it, they would have to "dare" their opponents, making the question worth $20. The other team could then "double dare" them back, and the question, now worth $40, would either have to be answered or the team would have to take a Physical Challenge. Teams who answered incorrectly lost control, with money added to their opponent's score if a dare or double dare was at stake. Host Marc Summers typically explained the rules like this: "I'm going to ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, or think the other team hasn't got a clue, you can dare them to answer it for double the dollars. But be careful: they can always double dare you back for four times the amount, and then you either have to answer that question or take the Physical Challenge." A t the end of the first round, a double buzzer would sound and the show would go to commercial. The teams would then compete in a second tossup, this one worth $40 and control of the second round. All dollar values would then be doubled: $20 on a question, $40 on a dare, and $80 on a double dare. At the end of the second round, the team with the most money wins the game and advances to the Obstacle Course. The losing team splits their winnings and is sent home with parting gifts. Episodes The first season was aired on Nickelodeon in 1986, with a second season airing until 1987. Both seasons consisted of 65 episodes. During this period, both teams competed in red uniforms and the lighted triangles on the team podiums were both colored blue. Double Dare began its third season in 1988, airing simultaneously on Nickelodeon, FOX, and in syndication on numerous independant stations in the USA. The stage-left team now wore blue uniforms, and the scoreboard border and lighted triangle colors reflected the change. Halfway during the season, the show recieved a refurbished set with a new backdrop behind Summers' podium and new lighting behind the contestant lecterns. New music began to be used with a horn lead, with new music tracks being implemented on Physical Challenges, the Obstacle Course, and a new ending theme. The show also recieved a new logo in this season, but it was not adapted for the show's successor, Super Sloppy Double Dare. Set Design The Double Dare set maintained a basic stucture in its three seasons, but minor changes were a dded during its run: *The Vane-style "$" signs below the digits on the scoreboards were changed to "Double D" logos early in the first season *Vertical yellow lines were added to the blue wall underneath the central backdrop in the first season The third-season episodes of Double Dare featured many new set changes: *The colored traingles and scoreboard borders' colors were changed to red and blue to match the teams' colors, respectively *The backdrop lights behind Summers were changed briefly to indigo and a different shade of red *The "hole" behind the host's podium was filled with a glass block wall in episodes following FOX's Family Double Dare. Behind it, three lights were placed - one red on the right, one white in the center, and one blue on the left. Cancellation and Successor In 1988, syndicated shows such as Slime Time and Fun House, both game shows involving messy stunts, competed with Double Dare. The latter was especially sloppy, much messier than Double Dare. As a result, Super Sloppy Double Dare was created in 1989, introducing colossal Physical Challenges which made bigger messes. Episodes of Double Dare continued to be aired in re-runs on Nickelodeon until 1991, and on Nick GaS from its launch until 2004 following its discontinuation.